Rotary engine



A. H. SHOEMAKER.

ROTARY ENGINE. E I-9mm FILED IU' NE 13, 1917. RENEWED SEPT 1, I920.

1,3795653. m wd M3 31, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VENTOR. Alvin 1i. Shawna/fer A TTORNE Y 'AJH. SHOEMAKER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1917. RENEWED SEPT. 7, 1 920. 1,379,653; Patente'd May 3151921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY Q10 MM ATTORNEY Iflv ALVIN H. SHOEMAKER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

ieraeee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented May 31, 1921.

Application filed June 13, 1917, Serial No. 174,768. Renewed September 7, 1920. Serial No 08 771 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALvIN H. SHOEMAKER, citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines of a type wherein the rotating elements are inclosed within a casing and are provided with intermeshing abutments and the axes of the said elements are disposed at an angle to each other.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character in which continuous rotating motion is obtained by utilizing the expansive power of a suitable gaseous medium.

Another object of the present invention is to so arrange the various parts that they may be easily constructed and effectively lubricated by a simple force feeding system,

and a still further object of the invention is to provide an engine that may be readily adapted either to the use of steam or a high pressure gas.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists'of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages'thereof.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved rotary engine with certain portions thereof broken away to disclose the interior structure.

Fig. 2- is a Vertical transverse section of the same.

Fig. 8' is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the rotating disks showing how they inter-mesh.

Fig. 1 is a view in section of a modified form of my engine whereby a greater degree of expansion is secured. T v

Fig. 5- is a view in side elevation of the rotating members used in connection with the modified. form shown in Figf.

Fig. 6 1s a fragmentary view in end elevation of my improved engine showing a portion of the combustion chamber in sect on and the manner of maintainin c0ntinuous combustion therein. 6

Referr ng to corresponding parts in the several views by the same numerals of reference, my engine consists of a casing formed in two parts denoted by 2 and 3. As here shown, these members are substantially symmetrical with respect to each other and cons st of theflat plates & with the annularly d1sposed r1ms 6, the outer edges of which are provided with flanges 8 by which the two parts are bolted together. Each portlon of the casing is provided with the centrally disposed axial hub 10 in which are provided bearings 12 and 18.

The adjoining surfaces of the flanges 8 are angularly disposed with reference to the plane of the plates 4:, consequently the axes of the hubs 10 are disposed at an angle to each other. The apex of the angle formed by the axes of hubs 10 is in the plane which passes through the adjoining faces of the flanges 8. Designating this point by 0, it will be noted that the inner surface of the rims 6 is that of a sphere having the point 0 for its center.

Journaled in bearing 13 of member 2 is a shaft 16 which extends into the casing and has keyed thereon'a disk 17, the hub 15 of which is journaled in bearing 12. This disk at the center, is provided with a substantially semi-spherical boss 18 which has the point 0 for its center and which is adapted to cooperate with the spherical recess 19 formed in the surface of the disk 20 that is similar to disk 17. Disk 20 has a hub 21 and is keyed to a shaft 21 which in turn is jour naled in bearing 13 of member 3, while the hub 22 is journaled in bearing 12 of the same member.

The faces of disks 17 and 20 are conical in contour and if these faces were extended would have their apex at the point 0. They are provided with a number of similarly shaped symmetrically disposed cooperating teeth 24, which are so constructed that the outer point A of each tooth of one disk constantly bears against the rear surfaceof the preceding tooth of the other disk during a half revolution of the disks. The outer periphel ll surfaces of disks and 20, as well.

as the outer ends of teeth 24 are finished to a sphericalsurface having the same radius as that of the inner surface of the rims 6.

At their outer edges the rear surfaces of disks 17 and 20 are in contact with the inner surfaces of plates 4 and are provided at this point with oil grooves 26. These grooves are in communication through a passageway 27 with a. pipe 28, leading to a source of oil supply which is under pressure. Likewise shaft 20 is provided with an axial opening 29 which is connected through the gland 30 to a pipe 31 leading to a supply of oil under pressure.

At the point of the casing where the side plates of members 2 and 3 are nearest to each other, there is provided an inlet passageway 32 which is a continuation of a cylindrical combustion chamber or a gaseous intake chamber 33. Ashere shown, the upper and lower surface of the intake 32 are tangential to the periphery of the rotating elements and diverge from the width of the combustion chamber 33 to the width between the opposite faces of the disks 17 and 20. At a point substantially diametrically opposite this intake opening, there is provided an exhaust passageway 34 which extends around the casing to a point adjacentthe intake opening.

' In the modified form shown in Fig. 4 the casing 1 has its side surfaces separated by a greater angle while the conical surfaces of disks 17 and 20 are on a more acute angle; These disks have each a spherical recess in which is loosely seated the ball 40 which in turn is provided with radial blades 41. The width of these blades is equal to the height of teeth 24' which correspond to teeth 24.

As shown in Fig. 5, the rear surface of teeth 24' is of such a curve that the point B of the blades 41 is in constant'contact therewith throughout the length of the blade from the time it passes the intake ort until it reaches the exhaust passageway.

11 like manner, the rear surface of the blades are curved to contact with the point C of the following tooth under the sam conditions. v

. One of the shafts which carries disk 20 or 17 is provided with an oil groove 29 connected the same as previously described, to a source of oil under pressure. The ball 40 has an axial passageway 42 the ends of which are enlarged as at 43, that it may always be in communication with the passageway 29' through the varying positions which the ball assumes with respect to the disks. Thus oil which is forced into passageway 29' finds an outlet between the surface of ball 40 and the recesses in disks 17 and 20.

This oil then travels outwardly and lubricates the contacting surfaces of the teeth and blades. 5

' In this modified form it will be apparent, that the ratio of least and greatestopening between disks is as one to three whereas in the main form described, this ratio is as one to two. It will also be noted that I have shown the teeth 24 as being cut away on the non-contacting side and by this means it is possible to govern the amount of expansion within the cavity formed by adjacent'blades. Thus, the more the teeth are cut away, the less will be the expansion ratio or increase of volume between adjacent teeth when at the top and when at the bottom of the casing.

I have shown in Fig. 6 a modification of this engine whereby it is adapted for the use of hydrocarbon fuels directly, this being accomplished by. providing three storage reservoirs as 50, 51 and 52, for water, liquid 7 fuel and air respectively. The air is maintained under high compression of any suitable means which it is not deemed necessary here to show and isconnected to the top of the fuel and water tank through suitable pipes in which are provided check valves 53 so that the contents of tank 50 and 51 cannot flow back into the air tank.

Attached to the intake 33 is a combustion chamber 54 having at the rear a plug 55 through which extends two electric conductors 56 between the points of which is held a suitable high resistance conductor 61 that is adapted to be heatedto incandescence by means of an electric current. I

Tubular connections'57 and 58 are provided from the air and fuel tank respectively, to the combustion chamber, these connections passing through the wallsof the combustion chamber at diametrically opposite points. I

It will be noted thatthe pipe 57 is of larger diameter than pipe 58 which latter extends a short distance inside the former. In like manner, a connecting pipe 59 is provided from the water tank and extends through the walls of the combustion chamher and terminates in an L-shaped continuation'therein, this portion having its exit opening directed away from the air and fuel inlet pipes. Each of these connecting pipes is provided with a regulating valve 60 whereby the amount of ,each of these elements may be separately controlled.

The operation is as follows: When gas under pressure is admitted to the intake orifice 32 it strikes against the edges of the teeth 24 andflows downwardly into the spaces there-between. To this extent the device acts as an impact motor but as soon as the inclosed space between the teeth passes the tangent point 62, a closed chamber is formed in which expansion of the gas takes place. This expansion tends to cause that part of the disks to travel apart and as the disks are axially inclined, there is a turning mo we 'ment which causes the disks to rotate to the position where there is greatest distance between the faces of the opposite disks at that point or as here shown, to the bottom of the casing.

When this point is reached the cavity between the teeth is placed in communication with the exhaust passageway whereby the steam or other expansible gas is exhausted.

If one of the shafts, say 16, is connected to the driven mechanism and the other turns free, then during the time the disk travels from the intake port to the exhaust outlet, the forward point of the teeth on the free disk, throughout the entire length of the tooth, is in contact with the rear surface of the preceding teeth of the other disk, but as the lowermost position is passed, an oppo site condition takes place, but as during the next half revolution, the cavities between the teeth are in constant communication with the passageway 34, no compression is possible between the adjacent teeth.

In operating the engine with the modified form shown in Fig. 6, the fuel and air valves are first opened causing a combustible mixture to flow into chamber 54. This mixture is ignited by the hot wire 61 and when once ignited, continues to burn as long as the fuel and air supply is maintained. The combustion thus produced takes place under pressure which is governed by the load on the engine and may be anything up to the pressure within the air tank 52. After the combustion has heated things up, the valve to the water supply is opened and a stream of water sprayed into the combustion chamber. This water is immediately converted into steam the expansive power of which is utilized in the engine and which at the same time serves to cool the combustion chamber.

I claim as new and wish to cover by Letters Patent:

1. A motor of the type described comprising a casing, a pair of revoluble disks mounted in said casing, said disks having angularly disposed axes, intermeshing continuously contacting abutments on the faces of said disks inclosing expansion cavities, and said casing having an intake orifice and a discharge passage for communicating with said cavities. V

2. A motor of the type described comprising a casing, angularly disposed end plates on said casing, a pair of disks revolubly mounted in said casing and having their axes at right angles to said end plates, intermeshing abutments on the faces of said disks inclosing expansion cavities and said casing having an intake orifice and a discharge passage adjacent the points where said side plates are respectively at their nearest and farthest distance apart.

3. A motor of the type described comprising a casing, angularly disposed end plates on said casing, disks having conical adjacent surfaces revolubly mounted in said casing, a spherical lug formed on one of said disks adapted to seat in a spherical recess formed in the other of said disks, intermeshing abutments formed on the faces of said disks and extending from said lug and said recess to the inner peripheral surface of said casing forming expansion cavities, and said casing having an inlet opening and an exhaust opening adjacent the points where said expansion cavities have respectively their least and greatest volumes.

motor of the type described comprising a casing, rotating elements mounted in said casing with their axes angularly disposer with reference to each other, intermeshing continuously contacting abutments on said rotating elements forming chamber of varying volume as said elements revolve, and means for dinitting an expansible fluid into said chamber at the point of least volume, and said casing having an exhaust outlet adapted to communicate with said chambers where they have their greatest volume.

5. A motor of the type described, a pair of conical faced revoluble disks having anguarly disposed axes and having their apexes meeting on the point of inter ection of said axes, a casing inclosing said disks and having an intake opening and an exhaust passageway, and internieshing abutments which remain in continuous contact form-ed on the faces of said disks said abutments forming closed cavities which increase in volume from said intake opening to aid exhaust opening.

(3. A motor of the type described compris ing a pair of revolublc disks having angularly disposed intersecting axes, a casing surrounding said disks and having intake and ex iaust passages, and alnitments formed on said disks whicn are in constant contact with one another and form closed cavities which increase in volume from said intak passage to said exhaust passage.

7. A motor of the type described, a pair of conical faced revoluble disks having angularly disposed axes and having their apexes meeting in the point of intersection of said axes, interineshingabutments integrally formed on the faces of said disks, curved faces of said abutments which remain in contact at all points in the revolutions of said disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an intake opening, and an exhaust passageway communicating with said cavities at their points of least and greatest expansion.

8. A motor of the character described, a casing, disks revolubly mounted therein so that their faces have a point of maximum and a point of minimum approach, intermeshing abutments extending outwardly from the faces of said disks a distance greater than the difference between the maximum and minimum approach of said disks, an intake orifice adjacent said point of minimum approach and an outlet orifice extending from said point of maximum approach.

9. A motor of the character described, a

casing, disks revolubly mounted therein so 170 that their opposed faces have points of maximum and minimum approach, intermeshing abutments having continuously contacting faces extending out from said faces a distance greater than the difference between the maximum and minimum approach of said disks and said casing having intake and outlet openings adjacent said minimum and maximum points respectively.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALVIN H. SHOEMAKER. 

